A Million and One Reasons to Love You
by Anrheithwyr
Summary: Two boys, each with their own internal problems to face, each finding a reason to hide behind the other. But along the way, they're also learning - about friendship, about family, about love. About being with each other. About realising who they truly are. And they connect, merge, and become one. Non-linear drabble collection for Albus/Scorpius for 30 Days of the Gays Challenge.
1. September 2017

_Hi, I'm Albus Potter and I'm very gay._

It is amazing to see how confident Albus is about himself in this one thing. Scorpius, for the most part, is the one who marches forward in all things, dragging Albus behind him, ignoring his friend's protests, but in this, Albus is bold and brash and open.

 _I'm gay_. It's not the first thing he ever says, but it's fairly high up on the list. _Hello, I'm Albus Potter, call me Al, I have two brothers and a sister and I love liquorice. Oh - and I'm very gay. How about you?_

Scorpius stutters, stumbles, and looks away. _Not me, not me_ , he quietly protests, but Albus only laughs, slings an arm over his shoulder, and says _That's fine. You can be my straight best friend. Scorpius, right?_

They're best friends from that train ride and never once does he see Albus flinch or protest or deny his own sexuality. It's almost brilliant, Scorpius thinks. Brilliant, but also dangerous. The wizarding world isn't always as accepting as it claims.

 _So?_ Albus replies one day, dabbing at his split lower lip and making eye contact with Scorpius through the mirror. _Who cares? Doesn't change a thing about me._

And Scorpius feels himself flicker.


	2. March 2029

He pats Albus on the cheek and hands the other male his drink, leaning over enough to see what's written down on his parchment.

"'I, Albus Severus Potter, do solemnly swear…' What's that, then? You're a bit young to be preparing a will." He cracks a smile, making Albus chuckle weakly in response.

"No, no. It's...uh, well..I dunno, I'll probably scrap it, it's all dumb. I've never been much of a writer, after all, maybe I should just get Rose to write something for me instead, hers weren't that bad if I remember correctly."

"Write what?" Scorpius snatches up the parchment before Albus can tuck it under the table and quickly scans through it, taking in every word. _To have and to hold, from this day forth until my last, to love and cherish my heart and soul, handed to you…_ "Are these your vows?" He looks up at Albus, whose cheeks have gone red. "This isn't half-bad, actually. Besides, isn't the point of wedding vows that their meant to be personal? I think you lose some of the meaning behind the words if you have someone else write it for you."

Albus hesitates, swirling around the straw in his drink, letting out a little sigh. "I dunno, I just...every time I look at what I've written, all I see is something that I hate. None of it ever feels good enough for something I'm meant to say to the man I love, you know?" He looks up at Scorpius, green eyes wide with worry.

"I have a feeling your future husband won't mind what your vows are - I bet you could deliver them in Gobbledygook and the whole room would cry because they understand the weight behind what you're saying. All that really matters is that you mean it, after all."

The dark-haired male lets out a nervous chuckle. "Thanks for the advice." He glances down at his watch, noting that the hour is later than he initially thinks. "Well, I guess I should head home, my fiance will be waiting for me. We're supposed to start picking out table runners, if you can imagine such a waste of time." Albus' chuckle grows more confident as he stands up, kissing Scorpius deeply on the mouth. "I hope you've at least started writing your vows, Scor. I'm expecting you to really _mean_ it." He winks, pulling Scorpius to his feet and giving him another quick kiss. "Now let's go before we start getting Howlers from Rose about being late. She becomes really scary when we make her wait."


	3. July 2021

Albus slams the door to his brother's room, wondering if he can find a spell to completely scour the image of what he'd just seen from his mind. He gags and walks away, running a hand across his forehead as he struggles to wipe his brain of all thought concerning his older brother and some Ravenclaw girl from a year above James.

"Ugh," he grumbles to himself, wondering why it is that James is so insistent on bringing home every single girl he ever shags, parading her around the house for Albus and Lily to see. Just because Dad and Mum aren't home, the git thinks he can do whatever he wants and there won't be any consequences.

A nearby door opens, revealing his sister, a small smirk gracing her lips; not for the first time, Albus wonders if Lily would be a better fit for Slytherin than Gryffindor, with the coy look in her eye and the way she uses people for her own devices. But then again, she's also only thirteen and is it really so fair of him to say such a thing?

"Did you see them?" she asks, raising her eyebrows as she nods down the hall in the direction of James' room. "D'you think we ought to tell Teddy?"

"There's no point in bothering him over some random girl, not when he has enough on his mind as it is, what with the wedding in less than six months." Albus tries not to think about the fact that he has been paired up with a bridesmaid in his god-brother's wedding, that he is expected to escort her and dance with her when in reality, he's never danced with a girl in his life. With guys, it's easy to know where he stands - most of them make it clear they're _straightstraightstraight_ , but girls flirt will flirt with him in one moment and then turn away, saying they see him as their friend.

 _I've always wanted a gay best friend._

 _But I'm not that._

It's often the only thing he's certain of. Boys are pretty, girls are pretty, everyone's so bloody pretty and perfect and they all bring some sort of flutter to his heart that he can't ignore or push away. But girls - oh, Merlin, _girls_ are terrifying.

"What're you thinking about?" asks Lily, leaning forward to look closer at how flushed her brother's skin looks.

"Teddy's wedding - they've put me with this girl who's way older than me, a friend of Vic's and I'm just worried I'm going to come across as weird because I have no idea how to talk to girls. I mean...what if she tries to make me her accessory or something just because of Reece or because I'm only fifteen? And what am I supposed to say?"

"You talk to girls all the time - Rose and Jenna and Schuyler? How's this any different from talking to one of them?"

 _Because one of them is my cousin and the other two are just friends! This girl isn't a friend, this girl is one of the prettiest people I've ever seen and I'm already so nervous I'm going to ruin Teddy and Vic's big day, let alone being an awkward bumbling kid around a really attractive older woman._

"Besides, I thought you were gay?" Lily doesn't wait for a response, flouncing off in the direction of the stairs, leaving Albus to stand in the hall by himself, a burning sensation on his lips and in his heart.

 _But I'm not that._


	4. April 2021

It is somewhere in fourth year that Scorpius realises that he's one of the few guys in his dorm who's never even so much as kissed a girl. Except for Tristan, who has a creepy glint in his eyes, all the rest of his dorm mates have dated or at least kissed a girl. Bo Perry has had three girlfriends at this point, a point he likes to make often as he parades each new girl around the dorm and through the halls of Hogwarts for everyone else to see.

But Scorpius has made no effort to entice - or at least be enticing _to_ \- the opposite sex. Certainly there is no shortage of girls who are more than willing to look past his surname and straight on to his family's money, his position to inherit, and his apparent good looks - or at least, what Albus and Reece swear are an appealing amalgamations of features enough to make even the most ardent anti-Pureblood swoon just a bit.

Which is how, on a rainy day in April just after Charms class, he finds himself turning to the nearest person to him and asking, "Would you kiss me?"

Rose Weasley, just as much an innocent as he, blanches and stammers out a dozen reasons why she shouldn't just kiss him right there in the hallway, looking for all intents and purposes as though he has just asked her to kill someone rather than briefly make physical contact in a pseudo-romantic gesture that he only wanted to enact in able to ensure to himself that he was, in fact, _normal_.

Because this is what normal is, right? Wanting to kiss one of your best friends? Wanting to be able to swagger into the dorms and crow about his own sexual proclivities with the girls of the school? Or, at least, _a_ girl. More specifically, one who won't try to use this for herself, who is expecting nothing more out of it.

"Would you kiss me?" he asks again with slightly more confidence, hoping that he doesn't wobble, that his voice doesn't tremble and betray the fact that he is terrified of the notion of ducking down to kiss Rose Weasley.

"I…" She trails off, wringing her hands in near terror, struggling to grapple with her own feelings, her own insecurities. Scorpius wishes he could read her mind to understand if her hesitation is out of disgust, but then immediately unwishes this, not wanting to actually know the truth if it was something so ugly and raw.

In the next second, she grabs the back of his head and smashes their faces together in a fit of panic; and Scorpius...well, he feels nothing at all. There are no sparks, no instantaneous connection, no sense of finally finding himself in Rose Weasley. There is only the realisation that they are very close and then - humiliation at this lack of response on both their parts as they pull away, both blushing.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me after Easter hols?" she begs of him. "As - as a date, I mean? Would...you like to date?"

He says yes because he has no idea what else to say and because he hopes that maybe their non-connection can be remedied and corrected. After all, his parents had not loved each other when they first met. Scorpius can make himself fall in love with Rose Weasley if he only tries hard enough.

So he tries harder.


	5. November 2040

When Scorpius comes back, he finds the house dark and quiet - almost too quiet, his heart picking up its tempo until he remembers that it's nearly one in the morning and their children are still young. Most likely everyone is simply asleep and there is nothing to worry about. So why does he still bound up the stairs, heading for the nursery to check in on the kids, standing in the doorway and looking down at them, counting out - one, two, three. No, there's four, with Calypso tucked into Iain's bed, one arm wrapped around him while the only trailed after a fallen white teddy bear that lays crumpled on the floor

A few doors down, where his bedroom is, he finds Albus, asleep, sheets crumpled and balled up, while all the pillows are shoved around him in a kind of fort. Clearly, the other male has grown lonely in the two and a half weeks that Scorpius was gone.

He moves to Al's side of the bed, kissing him on the forehead before dropping his bag and stripping off his shirt, which is dirty and grimy. He needs a shower, Scorpius notes, as well as a haircut, though for now, the second thing could wait until the morning.

"Scor?" Albus is sat up now as the bedroom lights flicker on and he is face to face with his husband of eleven years. "Did you just get back?" Al's voice is thick with sleep, the sort of thing you really need to pause to understand because none of the words seems quite right.

Scorpius nods, peeling off his shoes and socks, throwing them across the room towards the hamper. "I would have owled you, but I figured by the time you got it, I'd pretty much be on my way here anyway. Brahauser didn't want us sending out anything until the records were fully written and sealed away."

"Did you catch her?" He puts on his glasses but still squints, taking in the sight of fresh bruises and a new cut across Scorpius' left thigh that will become yet another scar.

"No. The whole thing ended up being a waste of time - if she ever _was_ there, it'd been weeks at best by the time we got there. The place had been taken over by vagrants, though they weren't there when we first arrived. There wasn't anything but old food wrappers and Grisham couldn't find any signs of magic being done in the area outside of us."

The unasked question hangs in the air - if their target wasn't there, then why had it taken nearly three weeks for Scorpius to return? Especially with the twins, who are barely six months now, and Iain, who sometimes hesitates to hug Scorpius, looking up at him and seeing only a stranger in the place of his father.

"Brahauser thought that, maybe, just because she wasn't in the caves that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't anywhere nearby. We...spent the whole time moving around, questioning Muggles and any wizards we could get our hands on, scanning the whole place for any signs of dark magic being performed. But there was nothing. It was all a massive waste of time."

Slipping from the bed, Albus comes over, wrapping his arms around Scorpius' neck, planting kisses across the other man's chin. "We'll find her soon enough, Scor. She won't ever go too far and soon enough their whole group has to slip up and then you'll be able to bring the Itawas to justice. It's just a matter of time is all."

He hopes that Albus is right, that this isn't all a fruitless endeavour to find a woman and her little army that is long gone, but he can't shake the thought from the back of his mind that he's a fool for having any hope.

"Why don't you come join me in bed, huh?" Albus whispers into his ear and all thought of taking a shower flits from Scorpius' mind as he allows his husband to pull him back towards the bed; he doesn't remember who does it, but in the second the lights are off and his stresses seem to melt away, at least for the time being.


	6. February 2022

He isn't sure why, but one day, in the middle of class, Scorpius finds himself suddenly standing up and punching Reece directly in the face, breaking his friend's nose and causing the whole class to go into an uproar, wondering if they're about to witness a duel break down right in the middle of class. Someone - he doesn't see who - loudly mentions something about expecting nothing less from a _Malfoy_ , but he's too busy trying to look past the red that covers his vision and the intense beating of his chest.

It's difficult to even bring himself to apologise as Rose and Schuyler, scowling in his direction, help Reece to his feet and take off with him in the direction of the Hospital Wing. So instead, he glances down at his shoes, trying to seem remorseful when in reality, there is a voice from deep within him that is humming with glee to see Reece crashing to the floor.

And thus, he takes his week's worth of detentions from his cousin, Professor Greengrass, who snaps at him to get out of the class and out of her sight. She's furious but he only shoves all of his belongings into his bag and stalks out. For some reason, the more he thinks about the whole ordeal, the happier he seems to feel, as though he's won some moral victory by knocking over Reece and making a fool of him in front of everyone, even if it does have the negative side effect of enforcing the common theory amongst his classmates that Scorpius Malfoy is a dangerous lunatic following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

What finally sends him crashing back to reality is the moment that Albus finds him, several hours after everything that happened. He's red in the face as he storms up to Scorpius, wand already pulled out to confront the blond, not caring about the height difference between the two or the fact that Scorpius has always been the better dueller.

"What the fuck are you going around punching my fucking boyfriend for, you prick? What'd he ever do to you?" Albus demands, sticking his wand in Scorpius' face.

This makes the voice, that guttural animal, growl, knowing that this is not how things are supposed to be. Albus should not be choosing Reece over him, not when they've been best friends since first year, not when it is _Reece_ who is the usurper, swaggering into their social group and laying claim on Albus by virtue of asking him out.

"Honestly, Scor, if I didn't know better, I'd almost think you were jealous of Reece or something. You can't just go around punching people for no reason - you're lucky Madam Wainscott is so quick with her healing spells, or else there could have been serious damage."

He nods silently, though still finds it impossible to hold Reece with any degree of sympathy or regret. Really, this wasn't _Scorpius'_ fault, now was it? It was that damnable growling from deep within that raised its hackles any time he thought of Albus and Reece together. But it wasn't out of jealousy.

There was just no one good enough for his best friend.


	7. March 2022

It isn't until a little over halfway into fifth year that someone bothers to ask Albus what it is he wants to do with his life. Professor Longbottom, Uncle Neville, sits on one side of the desk and Albus remains firmly seated on the other side of the ocean that separates them, the only bridge between them being the question, _So, occupations?_

"I dunno. Something to do with being gay, I guess?" Albus replies as a joke - because this whole thing is a joke, who cares what your dreams are at fifteen when there's still two more years and OWLs and NEWTs to get through?

Uncle Neville stammers, rifling through his stack of pamphlets and paperwork, finding nothing about _being gay_ , and winces, giving Albus an awkward smile. He does not get the joke because, for once, the joke is on _him_ rather than Albus, and so it is with a loud clearing of the throat that he admits failure. "I'm not sure we have something of that nature, Al. Would you, uh, be willing to consider a different field? How about the DMLE?"

 _You know, like your father_. It goes unspoken, hanging in the air between them for a long moment before crashing onto the bridge, leaving splintered wood and water slowly overtaking the two of them.

"Really, I don't care," he says in response, and it's at least honest. He _doesn't_ care; even Uncle Neville, who is at least _trying_ , doesn't understand Albus, doesn't know what to do with this strange boy sitting across from him. This _queer little boy._ Albus can't help but laugh at his own joke, snickering a little. "Not the DMLE, no. Maybe something will come to me, but for now?" He shrugs and kicks at the floor.

"Then what do you think about your courses for next year? We usually try to get at least an idea of your ambitions in order to recommend what you'll take for the next two years and score expectations on your OWLs."

"Yeah, I know. James went through this two years ago, remember?" _Git. No need to be nasty to your own godfather. Arsehole._ "I guess...for now, I'm just striving for passing and I'll move on as I see fit. I'd like to continue with Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures and...well, I'd like to give Wandless Magic a go. That wouldn't put me over the limit, would it?"

There, finally, a pretense at a goal. Uncle Neville smiles and writes something down before saying, "Well, I'm very proud of the work you've been doing, Al, both academically and as a prefect. Perhaps you'll even make Head Boy like Teddy. Do you have anything else for me? Any more questions?"

 _Do you think I'm weird? Do you think I'm broken? I'm dating Reece and I really love him but yesterday Jenna kissed me and I can still feel her touch. What does that mean?_

"No, I think I'm fine. Thanks, Uncle Nev." He shakes the older man's hand and sweeps out of the room, noting that his godfather doesn't even bother to correct him like normal, reminding him that it is inappropriate to call attention to their familial bond during a school event.


	8. July 2014

"Straighten up, Scorpius, that's it! Don't you want to look nice for the picture? Come on now, give the photographer a big smile, please? Just do it for Mummy won't you?" He scowls at his mother, who is jumping around like a fool behind the photographer but then, with a sigh that moves his entire chest, he plasters a large fake smile across his face, doing his best to not wince in the blinding flash of light.

Then, his turn over, Scorpius slides off of the seat and goes to join his cousin, Violet, who is actually his second cousin on two different sides of his mother's family because Violet's parents are cousins but _we aren't to bring that up, Scorpius dear, sometimes this is just how things are and it's impolite to mention it._

Violet is three years older than him and about to start off at her first year of Hogwarts; she wears her hair short and purple - Mummy calls her a _Metamorphmagus_ , a bit like cousin Teddy, whom they rarely talk to - and scowls all the time. Supposedly, she thinks she's better than everyone else in the family, which is silly because her parents are related to each other but of course he's not supposed to anything.

"Isn't this all so _cute_?" Violet spits out, waving a hand at his uncle, Octavius, who is being set up to take his photos next; behind him is the newly wedded couple - his aunt Linelle _who is much too young to marry, my goodness, she's only eighteen_ and her husband, Gordon, who's almost Mum's age and has a dent in his chin. "All this effort just to tie the knot, to throw your entire life away for the purpose of pushing out babies until you die. It's _pathetic._ You won't catch me doing something so...so _kitschy_ or normal."

Scorpius, who doesn't care or really understand, merely shrugs and replies, "I think Aunt Linny looks happy. Isn't that what matters? Mum says you're supposed to be happy at weddings." He pauses, thinking intently. "Also, sometimes you cry, but apparently that's normal. I don't think I'd ever cry, though."

"I'm _never_ getting married!" She announces it loudly, angrily stamping at the ground. "I'd sooner die than ever put on stupid fancy robes or worse, a dress, just to marry some man I barely even know! I'd rather die than marry a man!"

"Who else are you supposed to marry? Besides, your parents decide who you marry, not you. Isn't that how it always work?"

Gordon, with the dented chin, had apparently been picked out by Grandmother Greengrass years ago, long before she passed, even though his face looks funny and he is very old - twenty-nine years old. Violet is being preposterous for even thinking of just turning her back on the whole idea, to marry someone not chosen by the family or worse, to not marry at all.

But she stamps again and huffs in a way that reminds Scorpius of a horse. "They won't control me for forever. One day…" Her eyes unfocus as she stares off at something that no one else can. "One day, I'm going to find a very pretty Muggle girl and the two of us are going to run off together and never look back. That's what I'm going to do - before Mother and Father can send me off to some gross old man ten years older than me just to have children. No, I'm going to marry for _love_. I'm going to marry a Muggle girl!"

He blinks in shock, unaware that is something that can happen. Girls can marry girls? Is that sort of thing allowed?

At that moment, his father comes by, scooping Scorpius up in his arms despite how tall Scorpius has become recently. "I think we should end this conversation here, Scor, come with me. I'd ask you not say such things to my son, Violet, or else I'll talk to your parents."

Over Father's shoulder, Scorpius looks at the angry expression on his cousin's face and tells himself to forget her words. If Father doesn't want him hearing such things, it must not be the sort of thing one can do, girls marrying girls.

He doesn't see Violet again for three years; her parents - the whole family, really, stop talking about her at all, and when he next sees her at Hogwarts, she looks a lot happier, her arm slung around another girl in Gryffindor, her head resting on the girl's shoulder. She looks up, giving him a hesitant wave that he almost doesn't return until he remembers Albus Potter, and knows that what Violet has done is not wrong, no matter what their family says.


	9. July 2024

If there is any blessing to the likes of Rita Skeeter retiring two years prior, it is all washed away when Albus remembers that she has a niece - Kirstie Skeeter - who is just as abrasive and willing to twist a story to her own liking. What a shame, then, that he is now legally of age and the rules set up by his father and aunt no longer apply; the _Prophet_ is free to write about him without going through Dad, to publish pictures without running it by the Potter-Weasley family, and worse of all, to wonder about the minutiae of his life.

They at least have the common decency to wait until he's fully graduated but less than two weeks out, Albus finds himself sitting at a cafe in Diagon Alley, enjoying a biscuit when, seemingly out of nowhere sits Kirstie Skeeter herself, who already has a quill and parchment at the ready. Questions begin to fly from her before she's even fully sat down and, he can't help but note, they are pointed, almost poised for the attack. She has clearly rehearsed her lines previously. He almost suspects she has been stalking him, waiting for a moment of downtime when he is by himself to make her move.

"So then, Mr Potter, hello, I'm sure you know me, Kirstie Skeeter. If you don't mind, I have just a few questions, nothing too bad and all for our loyal readers at _The Daily Prophet_ , who are eager to get to know the real Albus Potter. Now as I hear it, you have not applied for the Auror's department at the Ministry yet? Why is that? Afraid of being accused of nepotism? Or are you following in your brother's footsteps of taking a year off gallivanting around in Spain rather than focusing on your future?"

 _Damn it._ Maybe Dad should have let the reporters in more often, at least so he would have some idea of how to respond, to direct her attention to a subject he was more willing to address. But no, she comes out the gate with _this_ of all things and the only thing he can do is shrug, fingers scratching away at the centre of his left palm.

"Alright, perhaps a different question. Now, as I've heard it, your cousin Rosalind is dating a woman. Would you be able to provide any insight into that? Perhaps give the readers a glimpse into the reactions of the family?" He stares at her disdainfully; it is not Rose, after all, that they are here to discuss - not that he wants to have this discussion at all, but if it will save him the trouble a few months down the line, he is willing to let Ms Skeeter have her quippy little sound bites this time. "Then how about your own sexuality, which, as my sources report, apparently changes from month to month? Sometimes a boy, sometimes a girl? How can you explain this seeming inability to choose, Mr Potter?"

His heart picks up a faster tempo and he knows that the skin of his palm will be raw by the end of this interview. "It's...it's not an inability to choose, Ms Skeeter. I'm...er, well," Albus thinks of Rose, of Scorpius, of all the other people he knows who do not fit into the narrow view that the wizarding world has of normalcy. This is an opportunity, he realises, to show people that there is someone out there like them, who is different. He sits up taller, clearing his throat. "I'm pansexual, is what I believe the Muggles call it. I feel attraction to people regardless of gender identity or expression. So it's actually not simply just men and women - it's also people who fall somewhere in between or totally outside of that. I...I am not limited in my feelings of affection for others, is how I choose to interpret the matter."

Does it come across as too preachy? As an attack on others who are unlike him? He hopes that this is not the case as, just as quickly as he is able to puff himself up, he shrinks back down, wishing that he could word it a different way, using better definitions that gets to the point across in a way that makes more sense. She's going to write drivel about him, Albus can tell.

"Ah." Ms Skeeter makes a small noise of discontent, writing something down. "Well then. I think, Mr Potter, that we ought to extend this interview? I have, ah, many more questions about this whole matter, if you don't mind. And, of course, as per the usual agreement we have with your family, you may determine what you do and do not want in the official interview - after all, this _is_ for _The Prophet_ and I know how particular your aunt can be about us printing things without clarifying that the questions are for an interview. Apparently, we're too 'aggressive'.." For the first time, her smile seems almost genuine. "But I think the readers of the wizarding world would like to know more about your...feelings of affection for others. That is, if you are willing to discuss this subject."

The scariest part is that he cannot tell if this is a victory or if he has accidentally walked right into Ms Skeeter's trap. But he does his best to squash down the fear, leaning across the table to begin talking earnestly about himself.

He will _make_ this a victory, Albus decides.


	10. December 2050

He finds Albus sitting outside of Jenna's flat, a bottle of Firewhisky sitting in between his legs, half-empty. Albus' head hangs low and he doesn't even react when Scorpius comes upon him, instead choosing to let out a long sigh and raise his knees up so that they rest just below his chin. Albus is a mess, anyone can see that.

"I've put my sister in charge of the kids for now - figured Caly might not be equipped to handle everything right now, even if she is fifteen. Lyra says to take all the time you need, that it makes more sense to stay here and clear your head than try to do it with seven kids around all at once." Scorpius sits down on the step next to his husband, unsure of what to say from here. After all, though he and Jenna always had their differences, she had still been the mother of their children and the only other love of Albus' life.

What is he supposed to say to make things better? Nothing comes to mind, or at least nothing that seems like the right thing to say, so instead the two just sit there and watch the sun begin to fall, the sound between them the occasional ragged breath from Albus.

And then, finally, he speaks, slowly looking to Scorpius. "Can you promise not to leave me, Scor?" he asks in a quiet voice, so low that it is almost impossible to make out the words. _Almost_. "I don't think I could take it if I lost you too."

Of course, the rational thing to say in response would be to remind Albus that neither of them are immortal, that eventually, Scorpius will leave, that they never know what will happen tomorrow or any day after that. It would be reasonable and honest to say that he could _not_ make this promise because no one was in charge of their own fate and no amount of promises will ever make Albus' hope into reality.

But none of these are the _right_ thing to say at the moment because what Albus needs is not honesty or reality or reminders that the future is out of their hands. No, what he needs is for Scorpius to step up and lie just this once.

"Of course I won't," he replies, taking Albus' hand in his. "We'll die together at one hundred and thirty years old in the same bed. I would never leave you, Al. I love you far too much to ever do anything so foolish."

Albus sighs again, laying his head against Scorpius' shoulder, and it is in this position that they remain for another half hour, until Albus is ready to head back home, wiping the tears from his eyes and cheeks.


	11. October 2037

The one thing Scorpius has forgotten to prepare for is the actual sensation of holding his son - his own flesh and blood - in his arms for the very first time. The nursery is ready, the baby clothes are all put away, and there's plenty of nappies, but when the mediwitch hands him the newborn, Scorpius crumbles on the inside.

 _This is mine. I helped make this._ It doesn't feel real. How has the past nine months led up to this moment, shared with Jenna and Albus and half a dozen Healers? Will he wake up tomorrow to discover the whole thing has been a wonderful dream but the reality is that he is alone, unmarried, and not, in fact, holding this amazing new life in his arms?

"It's different when the kid's totally yours, isn't it?" Albus asks, chuckling, and the question makes Scorpius blush in embarrassment, remembering the nearly three year old daughter that he and Albus has.

His other child, Calypso. She's his, there's no denying it, and he loves her more than life itself, but that doesn't change the fact that, on a biological level, _this one_ is his. It might be half Jenna's, but it's also half his. He's a _father_. Albus is right, there is something unique about being able to look down at a child and know that those are _his_ genes in the baby's head of pale blond hair and grey-blue eyes.

One of the mediwitches asks if they have a name picked out yet, making both Albus and Jenna look over to Scorpius, who realises that there is, in fact, one more thing he has forgotten is a name for the infant. How could he forget this most fundamental thing? If he wasn't holding his son, Scorpius might have slapped himself in the face for this mistake.

Dad will likely expect some sort of star name, a reference to his family heritage and Mum will no doubt want a name that honours the family members that have come before them, but neither of those feel right. This is not a boy who should be burdened with the weight of the stars themselves nor with the memories of someone he could never know. So what other name was there to give his son?

"Iain Mitchell," he chokes out, uncertain as to where the name came from but knowing that it is the best fit for the baby boy, who seems to finally realise he has been born and lets out a wail. "What do you think?" he asks Albus, who nods in approval, smiling widely. "His name is Iain Mitchell Malfoy-Potter."

With great reluctance, he hands Iain back to the mediwitch so that she can run through a checklist to make sure everything is okay. Then, taking a deep breath, he prepares himself to step outside of the hospital room to inform the waiting family about the newest addition - his beautiful son.


	12. September 2023

Perhaps they _are_ both using each other, hiding the truth not only from the world but from themselves, but it is a safety that Scorpius needs - that he _craves,_ almost, because the alternative is turning inwards and admitting to himself that he is - _no!_

 _No, no, not me._ It's what he's been telling himself since the day that his cousin Violet walked out from the family wedding and never looked back. He respects her, he sympathises with her, but he is not _like_ her. He is not Albus or Reece or even like Ethan and Hugh, who dance an invisible line of knowing who they are without ever saying the words out loud. He is not any of these people - though he is friends with them - because if he even thinks about it for a second then that means having to consider that he might be - _no! No!_

But then Rose sits down with him three days into their final year and explains that she can't keep lying to herself. They're seventeen now, adults, and soon enough they'll both be moving out of their family's homes and into the real world. She has to be part of the real world now and that means finally acknowledging that she's madly in love with a Ravenclaw girl a year behind them. Which, as she explains, taking his hands in hers, means that she can't keep using him as her cover because Rose has come out to her family and the blowback was mercifully minimal and she's ready.

So where does that leave him? Single and, admittedly, heart-broken, though not for the reason he should be. Because now it's just him and his thoughts, all alone in the corner of the Ravenclaw common room while he watches Rose flirting with Hannai and Albus - who shouldn't be here but is anyway - sitting next to Abraxas, Scorpius' cousin. Albus puts a hand on Abraxas' chest, laughing wildly at what is likely a very unfunny joke. Never before has Scorpius ever hated his own cousin.

 _No, no, I don't hate him. If I hate him then that means I hate him for being around Albus and that would mean I'm jealous. And I'm not jealous because I'm not…_

He gets up, slipping out of the common room, a little disheartened that no one seems to notice. Hands shoved into his pockets, he decides to take advantage of his status as a prefect - but not Head Boy, of course - to stroll around the castle.

There is a lot to think about, Scorpius realises, about himself, about how he feels. About Albus. So he heads away from the tower and begins to think.


	13. September 2011

There has never really been a time that Albus _didn't_ know he likes other boys in the same way that Dad likes Mum or Gran likes Granddad. It is as natural to him as anything else. Wake up, brush your teeth, eat cereal, know you like boys. He never questions it and at least tries to not let it define him.

At the same time, though, when his teacher asks for three fun facts about himself on the first day of classes for lower primary, the first thing he blurts out is, " _I like guys!_ " which results in the teacher - Ms Davies, a strict woman with harsh eyes - ordering him out of the room and warning him that his parents would be receiving an owl.

It's Dad who comes to pick him up from the Headmistress' office, apologising briefly to Headmistress Bones, who only gives Dad a baffled look and says that she isn't quite sure what the actual issue is, but here's the behaviour report from his teacher, _sorry for the inconvenience Harry._

And Albus can't help but wonder if the inconvenience here is him because he, for the first time in his life, spoke out loud a fact that he's always known about himself. It occurs to him that Dad might react in the same way that Ms Davies did and the thought terrifies him.

"What happened, Al?" Dad asks as they step from the fireplace into their home. He doesn't seem mad or disappointed - not yet at least - but there is a heaviness to his tone as though he is already expecting the worst. "I would think that you, at least, could be my well-behaved child, if the three other kids I have insist on always getting into trouble."

"I…" Albus goes quiet, looking down at his shoes, which are brand new for his first day of school, which he realises he is now missing. "Ms Davies says that I said a very bad thing for my three facts and that makes me a bad kid."

Dad frowns. "What is it that you said, Albus?"

"Uh, I...um...I said that I like guys. I don't know why I'm a bad kid, though, Dad. She said to give three facts and that's a fact - I like guys. Am I not supposed to?" Albus can feel the tears welling up inside of him as he flings himself into his father's arms. "I don't _want_ to be a bad kid! I'm sorry, Dad! I'm sorry for being this way!"

There is a long moment of silence and as his tears subside, Albus looks up to see an expression of pure rage on his father's face. Dad gets to his feet, telling Albus to follow him back into the fireplace, where they come out to his grandparents' place. The adults talk briefly in low voices before Dad explains that he has to go somewhere and will try to be back soon. None of this reassures Albus, who is now convinced that he has done something horrible.

Grandmum tries to give him a colouring book with moving pictures, but he is too distracted, glancing up at the fireplace at every little sound, convinced each time that it is his parents coming back to inform him that he is, in fact, a _bad kid_.

It is while he is poking around at his lunch that Dad finally returns, covered in soot and his hair even messier than it usually is. He comes over to Albus, giving the boy a hug as he takes the seat next to him at the table.

"I had a conversation with your teacher," Dad explains. "What she said to you is absolutely unprofessional and unforgivable. _No one_ should ever make a child feel bad about who they are, least of all a teacher. But you won't have to worry any more. I've ensured that you won't have a teacher like that ever again."

He might cry again, though this time from happiness. Albus gratefully hugs his father and begins to dig into his lunch as Granddad jokingly mentions, "I thought that you hated using your status to get things."

"Not when it comes to my child's safety, I don't," replies Dad, ruffling Albus' head. "I don't ever want them to feel like they can't be themselves and I'd do anything to make sure that never happens again."


	14. March 2020

They sit by the lakeside, enjoying the fact that it's a relatively nice day out and there isn't any homework to be done until Sunday night. Reece and Albus are play-fighting in the shallows of the lake, Jenna is doodling on the knee of her jeans, and Rose is debating with Ethan about the merits of Care of Magical Creatures compared to Ancient Runes in terms of the overall application to everyday life.

Only Scorpius immediately notices the movement of three figures heading their way from down the hill - Karl Jenkins, Michael Waters, and Oswald Marks, the last of whom looks out of place behind the other two in his Slytherin green. The only time the trio _ever_ teams up is to bully other people, their favourite targets often being Scorpius and his friends.

He taps Rose's shoulder, getting her attention to point out the three boys and quickly enough, the whole group is standing up in wait for their approaching attackers, who swagger ever closer, leers on their faces.

"What's up, Malfoy?" calls the leader of the bunch, Karl, jeering down at them from his spot just at the bottom of the hill. "Still hanging out with all your freak friends? I don't know _how_ you can stand spending time with a load of fa -"

"Let me cut you off right there, Jenkins, before you say something you'll regret the second after Rose breaks your stupid nose. _We_ , my friends and I -" He waves a hand around at the six of them, "- are enjoying a nice day outside and the sight of you bigoted numbskulls is only intruding on our peace and quiet, which is really quite rude of you. Might I suggest that you instead kindly piss off and bother someone else that isn't me or my friends? And take your filthy mouth along with you."

Oswald and Michael grumble to each other behind Karl, cracking their knuckles and looking ready for a fight, to which Scorpius only rolls his eyes. The three boys might be more physically imposing than his friends, but their group is not only twice as large but also far more adept at magic individually than the three males put together. And, honestly, Scorpius doesn't really feel like getting into a duel on such a nice day.

Instead, he turns away from Karl, indicating for the others to sit down, which they do, resuming their activities and ignoring the sputtering frustration of Karl and the attempts of goading the friends into a fight. At least this time, their blatant silent treatment works and the trio gives up, walking away with slouched shoulders and clenched fists, looking for someone new to terrorise somewhere else.

Albus chuckles, throwing a stray pebble at Scorpius, who catches it with relative ease. "They're just a bunch of cowards deep down," says Albus. "They don't _really_ want to fight, they just want to make themselves feel better by putting someone else down. I bet you anything that Jenkins and Waters won't even say a thing to me tonight in the dorm."

"They still shouldn't be saying stuff like that," Rose protests. "I mean, we all know what Karl was about to call Albus and Reece, the absolute prick. I don't know how anyone can stand those three when every word out of their mouth is complete garbage."

Shrugging and turning to look at Scorpius with a bright smile that makes the blond's heart pick up in tempo, Albus only replies, "After a while, you get used to stuff like that. It stops hurting because you know it isn't true."

And Scorpius can't help but wonder how the other male can be so confident in a moment like this.


	15. February 2047

"So are you going to have one more?" James asks jokingly. "You know, outdo Gran and Grandad? I hear they give awards if you hit double digits."

Scorpius glances over to Albus, who holds their newborn son in his arms, gently rocking the boy back and forth, and then snorts, amused. "Somehow, I feel like we're going to have a hell of a time convincing Jenna to give this a run again. She almost bit Albus' head off when he first suggested Troye, let alone this little guy. I think we've finally reached our total."

"That's what you said last time," replied Albus, standing up to hand over the boy so that he can grab a bottle of formula from the fridge, casting a Warming charm over it before handing it over to Scorpius. "In fact, I think that's what you say _every_ time that I suggest we have another child and it hasn't stopped me yet."

"So why Corin?" asks James, briefly turning to look into the sitting room to make sure that his own ten year old son isn't wreaking too much havoc amongst his younger cousins. "I mean, you've picked some...fairly normal names, for the most part. Did you decide to go all out for the last one as some sort of final hurrah? Or did you want him to get beat up every single of his life? Which, you know, is what's going to happen with a name like _Corin_."

His brother shoots him a dirty look, shaking his head. "It's after a Roman emperor, you uncultured dolt. We wanted to express strength and culture and the importance of his place in the world, which is easily expressed when you give your child a name that has _meaning_ instead of just pulled out of the back of a baby book the day before he's born."

"Actually, Al just really liked the name is all. We weren't trying to give him any sort of meaning, stop lying to make yourself feel better." Scorpius bobbed the child up and down in his arms, making sure to keep his head up. "Amazing that two people who were so abused for their stupid names managed to pick one that isn't much better."

Instead of replying, Albus merely walked back over to Scorpius, pressing his lips against the other male's for a long moment before pulling back with a smirk. "I think we should have one more kid," he tells the blond. "I bet I have at least one more dumb name somewhere from deep inside of me."


	16. March 2024

He has been 'out' as Albus calls it for three days and so far the school has not burnt down, his father has not disowned him, and the apocalypse has not begun, although there is still plenty enough time for all of this to happen and he has no doubt that it all will in time. But for now, the reaction to his announcement has been mostly positive, with his sisters taking it in stride - Lyra swearing because she thought he would not say anything until _after_ graduation and thus now owes Petra ten galleons - while Mum grows a little teary and throws her arms around him, blubbering nonsensically. Dad only claps him on the shoulder and nods, as though he also has seen this coming for a long time and has been waiting for this moment.

Scorpius writes to Albus later that night, telling him what happened and within twenty minutes, Albus has popped out of the fireplace and announced that he's spending the rest of the Easter holidays with the Malfoys.

So here they are, the two boys sitting in his bedroom three days later, and though his 'coming out' has been dissected and discussed until they run out of words, Scorpius still isn't sure if he doesn't want to take the whole thing back, laugh it off as one big joke, and try to push the matter back down inside of him. His family might be fairly receptive to his being gay, but there is still a school full of people who do not yet know and who do not have the added weight of loving him to keep them from saying anything nasty.

"You're too worried, Scor, really. No one's going to say anything and if they do, I'll just through them off the astronomy tower. Besides, I think at this point, at least half the school has probably been waiting for several years now and the other half is too dense to notice anything going on beyond the tip of their nose. What is really important, though, is the matter of _us_."

"'Us'?" Scorpius repeats dimly, not sure what Albus means.

"That is to say, our relationship. Our friendship and…" He blushes, looking away, rubbing his thumbnail across the palm of his hand. "I mean, I wouldn't want to imply that just because we happen to be two very good friends who are both interested in men that this means we would inevitably become interested in each other, but I also would hesitate to _not_ imply that I _don't_ have feelings for you, because that would be lying and -"

Scorpius cut him off by clambering onto the bed that Albus is sat on and pressing his lips against the other male's. He can feel the warmth of Albus' breath and, almost by instinct, his fingers begin to grip the dark curls of Al's hair. They hold each other until the moment that Scorpius feels the urge to pull in oxygen once more, breaking apart while gasping and grinning like the idiots they both are.

"So are we going out now?" Albus asks in a breathy voice, his eyes wide with shock as he still tries to process what Scorpius is just now processing is their first kiss. "I mean, that was just a kiss, which could have been an attempt to test the waters of our affection for each other rather than having any real attempt at a romantic connection -"

"Al?" Scorpius replies, leaning in once more, causing Albus' heartbeat to pick up enough that they can both hear it.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and kiss me again."


	17. May 2030

Scorpius sits hunched over his desk, going through a stack of notes in the hopes that it would give him some insight into his ongoing case, which has been haunting him for ages. It always seems like the answer - if there _is_ an answer to be had - is always just out of reach, eluding him each time with yet another connecting string that doesn't actually ever lead to an answer of any kind. It's frustrating, and made even more so by the reminder that this case is personal; it concerns the whereabouts of one Roxanne Weasley, who has been missing for five months, seemingly vanished into thin air.

Just as he's giving up for the day, sitting back with a loud groan and covering his face with his hands, Scorpius hears a knock just outside of his office cubicle and glances upwards, noticing that it his husband standing in the hall, peeking inside and holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands that he offers to Scorpius with a soft smile.

"Did you forget?" Albus asks, raising his eyebrows when he notices the slight confusion on Scorpius' face. "Today's our anniversary, remember?"

He decides it probably wouldn't be wise to admit that, in the haze of work, he does _not,_ in fact, recall that today is their one year anniversary. Instead, standing up to hug Albus, he gives the other male a grin and says, "Of course not. It's just that work's been super busy lately and I've been caught up on this particular case."

"Oh? Which one?" Albus leans into the cubicle to examine what Scorpius has been doing all day, but the blond blocks his entry inside. He isn't sure why he's been doing this, but he hasn't been able to tell anyone except for Teddy about his investigation; maybe it's because he's subconsciously afraid that people will tell him to stop looking or question why he's searching after a girl he's not related to, but so far, he's been unable to tell anyone, least of all Albus, about his side work.

Instead, he loudly replies, "Hey, I thought that for our anniversary, the two of us could go to that Thai place you like so much. You know, the one with the really good Tom Yum Goong you're always recommending to people? And then afterwards, we could watch a Muggle movie together, your pick. I, uh, figured since this is our first anniversary together, maybe we could go a little more lowkey?"

Albus frowns, confused, but seems agreeable to the idea at least. "But you always say that place is too spicy for you," he says. "Does that mean you'll finally give in and try it?" It's clear he knows that there's something off with Scorpius and is using it to his advantage and, like a fool, Scorpius has painted himself into a corner.

Seeing no other way of diverting Albus' attention from his desk so concisely, Scorpius nods. "Yeah, sure, I can't wait. Anything to make you happy on our one year, right?"

Immediately, Albus perks up and pulls Scorpius out of the cubicle, excitedly discussing all the different things he wants Scorpius to try while they're out together. Internally, Scorpius sighs, knowing he's done this to himself, but also not yet ready to tell Albus the truth. After all, he didn't want to wipe away that happy grin on his husband's face.

 _Husband._ Even after a year, he still wasn't quite used to saying it, even to himself. And when Albus looks up at him with that goofy, crooked grin of his, Scorpius knows that he can't keep his secret to himself for much longer.

Tomorrow, he decides. He'll tell Albus the truth tomorrow. For now, though, they would go out and celebrate their anniversary and be happy together.


	18. April 2042

They hold hands and walk down the sandy beaches of a Spanish town that they didn't know the name of; he tells a joke and the other laughs, and a seagull flies overhead, letting out a sharp screech as it dives towards a piece of garbage further down the beach. This is their reality, for a few short weeks. No children, no worrying about the Itawas or anyone else who wants to cause their family harm. There is only the beginnings of a sunset and a suggestion on his lips, the idea of dancing, just the two of them.

And they're so happy together, Albus and Scorpius, intertwined, made one, as one of them conjures up a small radio set to their favourite song. He holds his husband in his arms, taking in the green eyes, the dark hair, that stupid grin of his that always made Scorpius feel safe whenever he saw it.

Thirteen years - that's how long they've been together, nearly thirteen years, and they both agree that it's been too long since their last holiday that was just the two of them. _I can barely remember the last time we didn't have a kid hanging off of us,_ says Albus, spinning him around. He can smell the sea, the wind, the coming rainstorm that will roll into town later that night. _We should do this more often._

Scorpius opens his mouth to agree when he notices someone over Albus' shoulder; a woman, walking towards them wearing his mother's face. Because it _is_ his mother, he realises, with tears in her eyes as she breaks into a sprint. He doesn't know the _how_ , but Scorpius is immediately aware of the _why_ of his mother's opinion and in a second, he's past Albus, running towards his mother as a pain rips through his chest.

Before the words are even out of her mouth, he knows what she's going to say. _Your father, oh my god, your father!_

Albus collapses onto the sand behind him.


	19. December 2023

_Rule Number One of Having a Straight Best Friend: Do not fall in love with them._

For the most part, he's successful in this matter, focusing his attention on other guys, throwing himself towards Reece at every available chance, because if he falls in love with someone else then it means he doesn't have to be in love with Scorpius. And maybe fourteen is too young to start dating, but when he slips his hand into Reece's, he's able to make himself feel better for a minute, for an hour. Maybe even for forever.

Until the day that it no longer works. They date for, in terms of Hogwarts' time, an eternity - twenty-one months, until the day that they both wake up and come to the brutal realisation that they don't love each other any more and that it's easier to just admit that to themselves rather than continue trudging onwards under a lie.

And with Jenna, sweet, funny, fierce Jenna, he finds another kind of comfort that distracts him from Scorpius. He is sixteen when they start dating and she always takes his hand whenever they walk to class and drags him to every Quidditch match that he doesn't want to go to and when he sees Scorpius out of the corner of his eye, he convinces himself that things are better this way. Scorpius is straight and Albus, as much as he wants to, cannot force the other male to have feelings for him.

Until the day that Scorpius comes up to him, hands stuffed deep into his pockets and a tense expression on his face and says the magical words that Albus has been waiting for seven years to hear. _Albus, I...I think it's finally time I admit the truth. I don't think I'm straight. I don't think I like girls. And I mean, you're my best friend. You deserve to know first._

But just because Scorpius has finally opened his eyes does not mean that he can now suddenly break the number one rule, even if slight adjustments must be made. He hugs Scorpius tightly and gives him a big smile, offering to answer any questions or clear up some of the confusion, but in the back of his mind, Albus is re-writing his rules. And it does nothing to quite fix the pain in his heart whenever he looks at Scorpius.

Rule number one of having a newly realised gay best friend? _Don't admit you're in love because they might not be in love with you._

 _Why would he be in love with you?_


	20. August 2024

"I feel like we're supposed to come up with some sort of cutesy nicknames for each other. Isn't that what couples do?" Scorpius pulls at the corner of that morning's newspaper so that he can look Albus in the eyes.

They're Hogwarts graduates officially as of five weeks ago and already the two have moved into a small two-bedroom flat shared with Rose, who is gone most days anyway, stood over a cauldron for hours every day in preparation for her interview for the Henrik's Potions Co. Scorpius has just a few weeks until Auror training starts and then he'll also be out of the house for much the day, but for now he and Albus spend as much time together, taking advantage of their status as adults with a full education and the ability to live away from their families.

Albus glances up at him, slightly befuddled by the question, and then, diverting his attention back to the news, replies, "I think we've made it nearly four months now without having to devolve to using the same sort of little names that people use when talking about their dogs. I don't think I'm particularly interested in doing something just because it's what people think a new couple is supposed to do."

"I'd think that, out of the two of us, you would be more likely to go for something like that. You're the only who insisted on celebrating our one month anniversary like that's a real thing that people celebrate. Where's the hatred for nicknames coming from?"

He looks up again, sighing as he realises that the newspaper will not be finished that morning. "My name is Albus and yours is Scorpius. We already _go_ by Al and Scor to the point where my sister seems to think it's appropriate to make a ship name out of it. I honestly don't see the point in throwing in yet another layer of like, code names or whatever to address each other when Al and Scor do the job well enough already. It makes me feel...immature, you know? It's the sort of thing that Reece and I would do when we were fourteen and had first started dating."

And once again they hit the nail on the head; for some reason, every topic seems to somehow swing back to Albus' previous relationship, as though he's unable to not compare Scorpius to his ex-boyfriend. Not for the first time, Scorpius worries that this is Albus' way of saying that he does not - and never will - quite compare to Reece.

"Do you not want to be with me?" he asks softly, not looking Albus in the eyes in case his fears were confirmed.

"What? Why would you say that?"

"Every time we talk about our relationship, you bring up Reece, bring up what you did or didn't do when you were with him. I feel like I'm being put against him in some sort of contest, like you're trying to see if I live up to what you had with him. If you don't want to be with me, that's fine, Al, but at least be upfront about it."

Immediately, the dark-haired male begins running his thumb across the palm of his hands, that so familiar sign of anxiety that usually makes Scorpius subconsciously feel warm inside knowing that he's one of the few who recognises it for what it is and for the fact that he's one of the few people Albus has ever willingly confessed his worries to.

"Scorpius, I…" He bites the inside of his lip, his eyes beginning to water. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to compare. It's just this...you know, he was the first guy I ever dated and he's everything I have to base my worldview off of. And I guess sometimes I can't help but say those sorts of things out loud instead of just keeping them to myself. I'm not trying to make you feel bad or make it seem as though I loved Reece more than I love you, because none of that's true."

A long pause of silence hangs in the air between them before Scorpius finally nods and moves closer to give Albus a tight hug.


	21. May 2027

The two men sit at their table, watching in amusement at Rose and Hannai take the floor for their first dance as a married couple despite both of them lacking any real skill in dancing. A slow, romantic tune begins to float up from the band, Rose drapes her arms across Hannai's shoulders, and everyone else in the room seems to disappear as the newly minted spouses only have eyes for each other.

"Uncle Ron seems to have suddenly forgotten his protests about Rose getting married at such a young age," Albus says, nodding his head in the direction of Rose's father, who is smiling wide enough to split his face as he takes his own wife's hands and kisses her lightly. "I guess there is a sort of magic to weddings, isn't there? Suddenly it doesn't seem to matter that some of the guests are former Death Eaters because all crimes are briefly forgiven in the spirit of watching two people commit themselves together."

Their attention is drawn to the presence of Hannai's great-uncle Walvarius Nott, who has only recently been released from Azkaban after twenty-five years locked away for his crimes. Even he has a lightness to him as he turns to make a comment to Hannai's grandfather.

"And the Purebloods are strangely comfortable with this supposed 'bastardisation' of marriage," comments Scorpius, recalling the lack of outbursts from the usually more outspoken members of Pureblood society that would have, just a few years ago, called for the disinheritance of someone like Hannai. "It's almost enough to make one start considering marriage themselves, to think that such a happy ending is available for all of us."

"Isn't it?"

They make eye contact, Albus' eyes glittering with a sort of intensity as he nods in response to Scorpius' unspoken question. The blond can't help but break into a smile, imagining it being the two of them instead that spin each other around the room while family and friend look on, congratulating them for their wedding.

Suddenly, Albus pulls a box from his pocket and sets it on the table in between them, making Scorpius gasp. "Honestly, Scorpius, I've known I was in love with you since I was eleven, from that day that we met on the train and my whole life has been building up to this point. I couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else - waking up next to someone that isn't you, loving someone else. We were meant for each other, Scorpius." He opens the box to reveal the engagement ring that usually sat on his mother's finger - a gold band with a green and silver snake wrapped around it that his father claims used to actually move whenever the wearer was near their true love, generations ago before the magic wore off.

"Albus, you can't, not here at Rose's wedding, you should have asked her beforehand. I mean, it's amazing and I love it, but -"

"Hey, Scor, how about you stop assuming my idiot cousin would pull a stunt like this without asking me and just say yes?" He looks up to see Rose and Hannai have stopped dancing and the whole room is watching them.

"You planned this?" Scorpius asks in a breathy voice and Albus nods, pushing the box across the table. The blond takes the ring out and places it on his finger. "Then yes. Yes, of course I'll marry you, Albus!"

As they hug, a cheer goes up around the room, but all that Albus and Scorpius focus on is each other - they're the only ones that exist at that moment. And perhaps he imagines it, perhaps it's just his eyes and heart tricking him, but Scorpius swears that he hears the little snake on his ring let out a little hiss and move ever so slightly across the metal band.


	22. August 2010

When Scorpius is very young, there are days that his house becomes a raging storm; Mum and Dad throw things, they scream and fight, and no one seems to notice when Scorpius slips away to wander the halls of the Manor unattended, hoping to find solace away from the storm until it all blows over, as it always does in time.

Today is no exception to this, as he lays on the floor of his bedroom, colouring the moving pictures in his books. He is enjoying himself, humming tunelessly under his breath. It has been a largely peaceful morning, but this is not to last as, reaching for a bronze dark enough for the raven he is colouring, there is a smashing sound downstairs, the sound of something being thrown against the wall, and then shrill screaming.

His attention and interest destroyed, Scorpius balls his fists up and does his best not to cry; as far back as he remembers - which is admittedly not a very long time - life has always been this way, with Mum and Dad constantly bouncing back and forth between being the happy, loving parents he wants and the screaming fits of rage that causes Scorpius to cower and look for any way to get out.

As something else breaks, he cannot hold it in any more and leaps to his feet, taking off in search for some dark corner to tuck himself into or else a deep closet where no one will be able to find him.

As he is searching, though, Scorpius accidentally bumps into his grandfather, who is a terrifying man in dark robes and an even darker glimmer in his eyes. He is not the sort of person who goes by anything less than Grandfather Lucius and everyone he speaks to is with a voice full of contempt, sneering down even now at his own grandson.

"Boy," Grandfather snarls, grabbing his arm. "Why are you running away? Don't tell me you are afraid of a little spat between family? Are you a coward, perhaps?"

Scorpius bows his head and says nothing, knowing it is the best way to get through this altercation with as little backlash as possible. He is not a fighter - he is a _little boy_ and a scared one at that.

"What a pathetic grandson I have been stuck with. You are afraid of your own shadow, aren't you? Next thing I hear will be that you're as weak as your own father, writing poetry to other boys and thinking that you can get away with such... _disgusting weakness._ " Grandfather Lucius shakes his arms, glaring down at Scorpius. "You don't want to be weak, do you, Scorpius? You don't want to be a broken mess like your father or like that Marcus Flint!"

Unsure of what his grandfather is talking about, he sniffles and quietly concedes, grateful that the only thing that Grandfather Lucius does is push him away, his back hitting the wall behind him with an angry thud.

"We won't allow such weakness in the Malfoy line any longer, do you hear me, boy? Such things will be stamped out right away! Narcissa was always too soft with your father, that's why he is this way now, and your mother has never been right in the head, running off to live with Pansy Parkinson of all people. But you, I shall make into a proper heir, something to make the Malfoy line one of pride once more."

And then he's gone, sweeping down the hallway and leaving Scorpius to rub the spot on his arm where Grandfather gripped him so tightly, wondering to himself what is so wrong with Dad or Mum or any of the other people Grandfather mentioned. But as there is another smashing sound, he forgets the worry in favour of locating the safety of a closet.


	23. July 2017

When he comes out to his family officially, there are no tears. Grandmum and Granddad and everyone else has long become used to his antics and his tendencies and when he clears his throat and announces at the weekly family dinner that he has something he wants to say, there are knowing looks between the adults.

But it is still his thing to say, even if everyone already knows, so he stands up and, with pride creating a waver to his voice, he tells them that he's gay - or something, he says, not having the words to explain himself and knowing that they won't understand anyway. Most wizards these days have their mind wrapped around being gay and being straight, but little else.

"But I like girls and I...I like guys. And I guess...well, I'm _gay_. If anyone asks, if anyone ever points at me and says, 'what is he?', the answer is that I'm gay." Albus takes a deep breath and sits back down, his chair scraping loudly against the floor as he waits for his family to react, to say something.

And then there's a bunch of aunts and uncles and cousins telling Albus that they still love him, that he's absolutely still a part of the family and his being gay will never change anything about that fact. Grandmum gets up and bustles around the table to give him a big hug and Dominique promises that she'll help him find all the other gay students at Hogwarts. Albus can't keep the grin off his face; even if it isn't a surprise, it is still nice to be validated.

"Huh." Teddy gives him a big smile from across the table. "Well, I guess if we're making announcements like that, there's no time like the present to mention that I'm non-binary. I don't really identify as a man or a woman, but more like somewhere in between. I suppose that means there are two 'gay' cousins in the family, huh?"


	24. May 2029

The week after their wedding, in lieu of a traditional honeymoon of island hopping and drinking until they forget where the hotel room is, Albus and Scorpius decide to go on a road trip across the country, taking in the sights of all that the UK has to offer. It is Albus' idea - most of the more ridiculous stunts usually are - as he wakes up the morning after they marry and announces that he would like nothing more than to cram the two of them into a tiny Muggle car and drive around with absolutely no purpose whatsoever. And so, it's what they do, packing enough clothes for a week, telling their respective families, and then taking off.

They start simple, with a few days in London before driving down the M4 to Stonehenge. Scorpius suggests they drive north after that on M6, to the beach his family goes to every summer in Dornoch, which is almost a half day's drive away, but Albus only grins and suggests that they might think about stopping by a laundromat and jokes that they'll turn half a day's drive into a week's journey; he isn't entirely kidding.

There's a stop off in a small town that neither of them has ever heard of called Chipping Campden where they briefly stumble across a man named Markus - the only non-muggle in the entire town, save for his mum and sisters - who was in Slytherin the year behind them.

There's a meaningless stop in Peak, where they crash for the night with a friend before rising well before the sun is up to keep going.

The car breaks down not too far from Hogwarts itself and when they trudge up to the front doors of the castle, sheepish and carrying their luggage like two students begrudgingly returning from a brief flight away, Headmistress Shrever laughs for a good long minute before inviting them inside to stay in an old classroom for the night.

And then finally, the car fixed, they arrive in Dornoch, collapsing onto the tiny bed that Scorpius has slept on every year for two weeks for the past fifteen years.

It is decided, they say to each other with grins and breathless, excited gasps, that the trip is far better than any traditional honeymoon can ever be.


	25. January 2051

Albus and Scorpius sit together at the edge of the front steps, watching as the last of everything from inside the flat is dragged out, lifted into the air with the wave of a wand, and then set into the back of a Muggle moving van. It is alarming how little there is actually left of Jenna's life, most of it not really worth keeping.

Albus had spent the last two weeks cleaning out the entire place of the trash and old pill bottles that Jenna left behind and after that, there is the furniture that came with the flat - a ripped up mattress, a kitchen table with notches and nicks in the legs, a couch with cushions so abused that anyone who sits in them sinks right to the springs. What is left are clothes, donated to charity, and her collection of photographs and books.

Scorpius clutches his husband's hand, knowing how tense the other male must be feeling at that moment, watching stranger take out what little of Jenna remained after her passing. No doubt tonight Albus would end up pacing back and forth in their bedroom for several minutes, his eyes wide and digging his nails into the palm of his hand as he avoids looking at the boxes that will be placed in the corner of their room until they can think of what to do with all of it.

Suddenly, two of the movers dropping one of the smaller boxes and there was a crashing noise as it hit the ground, causing Albus to jump to his feet and nearly scream, rushing over to wrangle the box away from the two of them, pulling open the flaps to make sure that nothing was permanently damaged, a strangled gasp flying out as he looks back at Scorpius, a desperate expression on his face.

Scorpius moves over to see that the box contains the little figurines of dragons and other magical creatures that Albus has given Jenna every year for Christmas and birthday and 'anniversary' since they were in Hogwarts. Several of the figurines at the top are cracked and broken and he can only imagine how much worse things are the further down they go.

Clutching several of the models, Albus buries his against his chest and openly sobs, leaving Scorpius to wave off the bemused movers. Once the other men walk away, he puts a comforting hand on his husband's shoulder, remembering how much he relied on Albus to get through his father's death. This time, he will be the rock.


	26. November 2046

One day, Scorpius sits down on the sofa next to him and glances over at Albus with an intrigued expression. Albus barely even notices at first, too fiddling with the ends of an old blanket that has begun to fray and fall apart; he's trying to fix it, to save a blanket older than he is, but quickly gives up, realising that any chance of its survival is far beyond anything he'll be able to do to help it. He glances over at Scorpius, noticing the blond's gaze focused on him and raises his eyebrows in curiosity.

"I was just thinking...well, really, I was talking to the kids about the fact that we have an owl for Caly, but no other pets and they were wanting to know if it might be possible to get a cat or dog. I don't think that's such a bad idea, actually - it would teach them about responsibility and how to take care of a small living creature together. We could add it to the chores list, have them take turns feeding it, cleaning up after it, walking it. What do you think?"

Though he puts the idea almost exclusively on the children, Albus knows that Scorpius is, in fact, the one who truly wants a pet, which makes him smile. He knows that, growing up, the Malfoy children still lived by what is a relatively strict childhood by normal standards, even if it is fairly liberal by a Pureblood idea of upbringing. Scorpius never had any pets outside of the owls owned by his parents and when they were younger, loved coming to the Potter home to hug their dogs or give Lily's rabbits a pat on the head.

"Well, I suppose that we could head over to the shelter this weekend to see if there's a dog or cat that catches the kids' eye. Maybe we could even get both, depending on if there's some disagreement over what they want. How does that sound?"

Scorpius sits up, almost beaming, and nods, looking just as excited as any of their young children might be at the prospect of getting a dog. "Imagine how happy Caly will be when she comes back for winter break to see she has another, slightly furrier little sibling."


	27. June 2018

When he looks at Scorpius, he sees the stars in his eyes, the light that fills his face with every laugh, the myriad of emotions that are always threatening to overtake his friend's mind and heart at any given moment because though Scorpius holds himself back from most other people, Albus knows him too well to be fooled.

He can also see the looks of longing in Scorpius' eyes whenever Albus hugs someone else, the way his gaze flits to Albus when it seems like the dark-haired boy isn't paying attention. He knows, even if Scorpius isn't yet aware, that there is something beneath the surface.

 _Are you sure there isn't something?_

 _Something?_

 _I mean something you aren't telling me._

 _Of course not! We're best friends, why would I ever hide anything from you?_

So he keeps it quiet; they're twelve and he can't expect Scorpius to be on the same level as himself, to be as comfortable as Albus is. Scorpius probably doesn't even know he watches Albus like that because he doesn't see the world in the same way that Al does.

 _Al?_

 _Yeah?_

 _How can you be so casual about this one thing and such a bloody coward about everything else that happens to you?_

Well, at least Al is casual and confident about something that matters, at least he doesn't sit there and lie to himself every single day about what those looks mean, about what the tightness in his chest means when he sees the boy who's supposed to be his best friend. At least he isn't afraid to -

Instead, he only sighs to himself and replies, _I don't know, Scor, I don't know. Maybe the Sorting Hat made a mistake._

 _Nah, it didn't. You don't have to rush headlong into everything like your brother does just to be a Gryffindor. That's not the only definition of bravery after all._

 _Thanks._

But he sees the stars in Scorpius' eyes, the smile that leaves Al speechless, the laugh that causes his heart to beat that much faster and in that moment, Albus makes a decision. Do not fall in love with Scorpius Malfoy. If your friend is straight, it is not safe to fall in love, because that will only lead to heartbreak.

So he locks that part of his heart away.


	28. January 2033

Neither is quite sure who is the first one to bring it up again, but suddenly, after three and a half years of marriage, the question _is_ asked and it hangs in the air for several days, joining them at the dinner table, in bed, when they went to the supermarket to grab more eggs and milk. It waits patiently enough for an answer until finally Scorpius can't take it any more and turns to look at Albus, who is struggling to get the wrinkles out of several dress robes with his wand.

"We want kids, don't we, Al?" he asks, catching Albus by surprise; the other male freezes, dropping the fabric onto the ironing table, his back still turned to Scorpius.

Because it _is_ something they talked about even before getting married - children, whether they will ever become an option. Back then, it remained mostly just a far-away possibility, not yet something that a newly-wedded couple needs to think about, but now, going on their fourth year as spouses. Well, it _is_ about time they discuss this once more.

Marriage between two people of the same gender has been legal in the wizarding world since before either of them were born and since they were small children in the Muggle world. Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for thirty years, never let the question be brought up again after it was argued for in court and even now, Albus' uncle, Percy, insists that he will not put the wants of some people over the rights of others, particularly when that sort of thing would grossly affect his own family.

But this does not mean the wizarding world is as progressive as everyone likes to pretend; wizards are such a small part of the overall population and gay wizards even smaller, so most people either cannot find it within themselves to care about gay rights or else actively campaign against it. The marriage law, some days, seems more like a fluke than a sign that things are improving.

Many adoption agencies within the wizarding world are still hesitant to hand over children to gay couples, despite the low number of adoptees even in existence. This small number of potential options is largely because, even now, when a young witch finds herself pregnant, she often either marries the father or else hands the baby off to a family member.

Four years ago, before they married, there had been Albus' sister who became pregnant, but at the time neither Albus nor Scorpius were ready to become parents and so the baby girl was given to Lucy instead. His cousin, Rose, is lucky enough in that she and her wife were looking to adopt at the same time that a mutual acquaintance of theirs fell pregnant by a Pureblood man whose parents would not let him wed her. And now she has a nine month old daughter. But this sort of thing is still rare and not a viable way to have children if they do want to have any.

Albus stares intently down at the robes, not wanting to say what has come to mind; thankfully, though, Scorpius knows him better than anyone and knows exactly what he's thinking of. It hurts to have to admit it, but if they want to have kids, it might be necessary to turn to Jenna, Albus' sometimes girlfriend and the bane of Scorpius' existence.

When they ask the next day, she jumps to her feet and cheerfully exclaims that she's more than willing to help them both out in this request, that she would love nothing more than to make them happy by helping to carry a child for them. Scorpius does his best to smile and not grind his teeth, reminding himself that he is the one who suggested Jenna out loud and that this is better than waiting on a list for ten years in the hopes that a child falls into their lap.

Jenna reaches across the coffee table and grips Scorpius' hand, making him jump slightly. They have never really gotten along so a sign of affection between the two is rare and he almost expects her hand to let go of his to instead smack him across the face.

"Scorpius, I know we've never liked each other much - having to _share_ Albus and whatnot - but I really do want to do this for you guys. I know it means a lot to you that you came to me and I just want to make it clear, I genuinely do want to help you guys." She moves around the table to kiss his cheek and for a brief second, Scorpius can almost understand why Albus can stand to be around the woman for any length of time.

"So when can we start?" jokes Albus, putting an arm each around his husband and girlfriend. In their own weird way, this day, this small gesture of goodwill, is how they start to become a family, the three of them. And soon enough, more will follow.

Scorpius can hardly wait.


	29. April 2043

One year after his father's death - after his _sacrifice_ , Albus leaves Scorpius to mourn by himself, knowing that his husband needs some time alone on this day of all days. Instead, he takes the children out to the park, telling them that he'll buy ice cream if they behave. Calypso and Iain, the eldest two, nod eagerly and rush off immediately to push each other off of the monkey bars, leaving Albus with the younger three children and a head full of swirling, messy thoughts.

When he tells Scorpius about the day's plans, the blond says nothing and simply pulls his cover over his head, the lights dimming until Albus is left in a darkened room save for the light of the hallway outside that outlines his confused frame.

So he rushes the kids into their clothes and does his best to ignore the empty look in Scorpius' eyes. Albus has lost family members before - two uncles, an aunt, and two cousins - but he has never lost a father and is uncertain what to say when he eventually returns to the house because he _must_ go back at some point, for the sake of the children and pull Scorpius out of bed. But when he goes to do that, what is he supposed to say? _I'm sorry about what happened? I'm sorry for your pain?_ None of it feels right, so instead he focuses on the toddlers playing in the grass beside him and he focuses on the baby in the pram and Albus does his best to at least remember what good things they _do_ still have.

And then, from across the playground comes Reece Robertson with a girl around Calypso's age along with two other children. He waves at Albus, who sighs. Though he is friends with Reece, even after all this time, now is not a time that he has much energy to be dealing with other people in public, particularly not ex-boyfriends.

"What's going on, Al?" Reece asks, immediately picking up on the air of exhaustion and tension. "Is everything okay? Where's Scorpius?"

Albus sighs again and pretends to busy himself with adjusting his youngest daughter's blanket; when he looks up, though, Reece is still there, waiting for an answer. "Scorpius' father passed away a year ago and I thought it best to leave him be for the time being. I'm...not great with issues like these. I never really know what to say. Apparently, I'm still way too blunt about everything when I can get up the nerve to open my mouth at all."

Reece gives him a strange look before taking the seat next to Albus, sending his older children off to play with Calypso and Iain. Albus says nothing, though, continuing to feign interest in making sure that everything in Paisley's pram is just _so_. It is easier to focus on fixing something that doesn't really matter because, after all, there are no consequences of failure if he doesn't get the corner of her blanket tucked perfectly.

"You need to talk to him tonight," Reece finally says while fiddling with the undone buttons on his own infant daughter's onesie, not looking Albus in the eyes as he speaks. Scorpius has always been a sore subject between them, even after fourteen years of his being married to the Malfoy. "I know he's upset and confused and...well, he's _Scorpius_ , but you're still his husband. He needs you in moments like these when he probably feels lost and confused because you can help remind him of the good thing he still has in life. It's why you two have always complimented each other so well because you each serve as the other's reminder of the fact that love is real and all that other sentimental crap that I'm sure you whisper at night."

The twins are picking at each other now, shoving back and forth until Eli falls over and begins crying, which forces Albus to stand up and make sure they're both still okay before separating the two on either side of the pram with strict orders to not even look at their sibling until he says to. The entire time he does this, though, Albus runs Reece's words through his mind, pondering over them.

Reece is right, he knows that much. Albus and Scorpius have always fit so well together and as he lays a hand on Eli's blond head, Albus knows that he will have to talk to his husband before the day's end, even if he is uncomfortable and unsure.

"Would you like to get ice cream with us?" Albus asks Reece, who raises his eyebrows at the sudden shift in topic. "I promised the kids earlier that I'd buy them all ice cream. It'd be my treat, I don't mind."

They collect their older children, luring them back with promises and reminders of the promise of ice cream and as Albus watches Reece make room for his son in the pram with the help of a whispered Engorgement Charm, he can't help but smile, knowing that he's made the right choices in life to be at this point - every single mistake too, because those also play a hand in this culmination of his life.

There is no one he loves more and there is no one else in the world who can love _Albus_ more than Scorpius does. Even during the hard times, the moments of pain and unsteadiness such as these, they are still perfect for each other.

Finally, Albus has the right words to say.


	30. December 2100

Livvie, who has been twelve for three whole days and is still riding high on the celebrations of her birthday, suddenly finds herself crashing to the ground when her mother announces that she will be heading to her great-grandfather's house along with Gran to make sure that he is okay because, according to Mum, he's been in quite the _strop_ ever since discovering that Great-Great-Auntie Rose would likely not see the beginning of the new year. So, Mum says forcefully as she shoves Livvie out the door, it is her job to make sure that he's okay and that he's still doing well enough to live on his own.

She knows _why_ Mum has done this, because they live closest to Athair and because she has his name, Alba, even if no one calls her that. She's supposed to be close to her great-grandfather and love him as family, but in reality, Livvie finds it difficult to see him as anything other than the white-haired old man who moves too slowly to do interesting things and whose stories are always outdated, as though he thinks the world stopped turning the second that his first grandchild was born.

When Gran knocks on the door, they have to wait for what feels like forever until Athair finally shuffles towards them and unlocks the door, revealing a weathered old face and a scowl bigger than the sun.

"What do you want, Tea?" he grumbles, but slowly shuffles out of the way so that they can step inside. "Did the grandkids send you? Am I now too old to be left to my own devices? Or are you lot all worried I'm about to off myself just because Rose is getting too sick to carry on much longer? Glad to see you care _now_ , when it's almost time to start splitting up the inheritance. I notice you don't come by much any more." He directs this last comment towards Livvie, his tone so sharp that she's surprised to find that the words don't cut. "Your mum used to bring you by all the time until the time I almost 'let' your brother burn the house down, as though I did it on purpose or something."

"Dad, you left a three year old by a cooking stove for several minutes. It just wasn't safe to leave the kids unattended with you any more, not when you're in your nineties." Gran reaches out to grab her father's hand, but Athair merely shakes it off and orders her to make them all some tea - or something stronger for the adults, if she can find any Firewhisky. Then, with a bony finger, he beckons Livvie to follow him into the study.

It is, of all the rooms in the house, her least favourite, because the study has become, as Mum calls it, more of a mausoleum, a sort of shrine to Athair's old life, full of dusty photos of people long gone that Livvie has never met. But Gran orders her to follow after him, so, with only a scowl in protest, she takes Athair's wrinkled hand and walks with him into the study.

He moves so slowly around the room, pointing out a number of seemingly ancient things - a picture of Gran as a little girl younger than Livvie herself; a book with Athair's name on it; a forlorn little rubber duck that is missing half of its beak and all of its colouring. All of it is too old to be of any interest and she quickly tunes it out as merely the ramblings of a man who probably can't even track of what year it is.

"And here's our graduation photo with all of my mates - you'll see Rose is there as well, and Jenna, Reece, Hugh, even Abraxas. Oh…" He trails off, clutching onto the photo with a shaking hand, catching Livvie's attention as she quickly turns to look at him, worried that he's having a heart attack. Dad's father had one several months ago and now he is mostly bedridden. Athair, though, merely runs a thumb over part of the photograph and gives it a longing look before glancing back up at Livvie. "Have I ever told you how I met my husband?"

 _Husband?_ Livvie cannot say that she recalls ever being told that Athair had been married to another man and she wonders why no one has mentioned it before. Curiosity piqued somewhat, she creeps over to look at the photograph; specifically, at the blond man that Athair points out, standing next to a dark-haired man that she can only assume is Athair from almost eighty years ago. The two are holding hands and beaming at the camera when suddenly Athair leans in and kisses the other male.

"His name was Scorpius. We met on the train headed to Hogwarts for our first year and as Rose and I drag our trunks down the halls and start to wonder if there are no empty compartments, we find one that is _almost_ empty, save for Scorpius Malfoy. He stood to shake our hands and asked if we were as nervous about school as he was. And then, I don't know why, but suddenly I'm announcing that I'm gay, hello! We didn't start dating until our final year, though, because Scorpius spent most of the time being afraid of what would happen if he came out to his family." Athair stops, choking on the beginnings of a sob.

How has she never heard this? She knows that Athair's partner had died a long time ago - before Livvie was born or her parents married - but no one ever calls him by name or even says that the partner was a man. And suddenly she looks up at her great-grandfather with new eyes, seeing not a sad old man stuck in the past but rather a man who has known love and lost it and still marches on not knowing for how much longer he'll have to go without the love of his life. He is not just Athair - he is a man who, she has no doubt, will keep her secret safe.

So she stands up on her tiptoes and whispers her secret, her truth, into his ear. Athair smiles and then laughs, grabbing her hands and holding her close. She doesn't mind being hugged by him because she knows it is a gesture of the deepest affection, having found someone who understands how he feels. It is this scene that Gran returns to, seeing the two hugging each other tightly, and when she asks what happened while she wasn't there to cause such a sudden change, they both share a knowing look and laugh.

And, when, on the first day in January Gran comes in to inform her that Athair has passed away peacefully in his sleep, just one day after Great-Great-Auntie Rose, Livvie nods solemnly, burying her face in her pillows, crying for several hours. After she has run out of tears, though, she comes downstairs and informs her family that she wants to be called her real name once more, that she wants to be Alba once more, to honour her Athair. But, most importantly, she tells them the secret that she has been holding onto for twelve long years.

 _Hi, I'm Alba Potter and I'm very gay._


End file.
